Cozhlin smacked his head against the lunch table, groaning. 

“What was that for?” Arizona asked, moving his lunch tray so his food wouldn’t get sacrifice in the rampage that was his friend. 

“I have a date.” Arizona chuckled. 

“Then why so sad? It’s that Keo boy, isn’t it? He’s cute.” 

“Yeahhhhh. But-”

“I had to point out to him that this evening is the Pride ball and we’re on serving duty.” Ladin said, clacking her tray on the table. Cozhlin whined, burying his face in his arms. 

“Aw, come on. There’ll be plenty of other times to go on a date with him.”

“Sure.” Cozhlin huffed, grabbing Arizona’s apple. 

“Hey!” Arizona protested. Cozhlin stuck out his tongue at Arizona, then took a bite of his apple. Arizona sighed, pushing his tray away. 

“Hey guys. You heading back to the castle?” Olivia and Bay took the last seats at the table, tossing their bags on the ground. 

“Yeah, soon.” Ladin said. “Shame too, i really wanted to stay.”

“I don’t.” Cozhlin growled. “I’m way behind on silk dying and some stitching.”

“Same.” Arizona agreed, pulling at the collar of his shirt. 

“Aw, alright. We’ll see you guys for the ball set up.” Arizona nodded, grabbing his bag. “Let’s go.” Cozhlin sighed, tossing his apple in the trash can, slinging his bag around his neck before following. 

“Cozhlin!” Cozhlin smiled as Keo approached them. He had an aviators jacket on over his blue button up, his blue eyes flashing with joy. 

“Hey Keo. Look, i’m really sorry about tonight-”

“It’s all fine. I was planning on going to the Pride Ball anyways, so… maybe i’ll see you there?” He said, flushing. Cozhlin smiled, his ears tipped with red. 

“Y-yeah. Totally.” 

“Alright. See you tonight.” Keo walked off, his combat boots thumping against the the ground. Cozhlin flushed, covering his face with his hands. 

“Aww, look at that!” Ladin said, poking his arm. “You’re all flustered!” 

“Am not! Shaddup!!” Cozhlin said, batting at her feathered hands. Arizona chuckled. Cozhlin growled, storming off. 

“Cozhlin! Come on! I was joking!” Ladin cried

“It’s okay, he’s just on one today. Everything’s been to much of a change i think.” Arizona said, resting a hand on Ladin’s shoulder. Ladin smiled at him, then her eyes lit up. 

“Wait!!! I just had the greatest idea!” she ran off for the portals, claws clacking on the linoleum floor. Arizona shared a look with Olivia, then followed the energetic girl into the courtyard and down the dirt road to the portals, just barely seeing Cozhlin’s bright blue head of hair in the distance. 

“Ladin! What are you planning?!” Arizona called, racing after her. 

“You’ll see!!” She sang back at him. Arizona huffed, struggling to keep up with the aerodynamic bird-girl. 

“Is it good?!” 

“It’s not bad!!” 

“That doesn’t make me feel any better!!!!” 

“I know!” 

Arizona sat on his bed, several rolls of fabric and a half finished embroidery scattered around him. He held a small picture in his hands, taken the year before when the friends had been sworn into Queen Olane’s rule as servants. Cozhlin’s hand was around Ari’s shoulders, smiling slyly from behind his trademark sunglasses, still head over heels for each other, before they had broken up a few months after. Ari’s hair a bright pink that month. Olivia and Bay sat on the bench in front of them, hands entwined. LAdin sat on the ground, legs crossed, with a stuffed black bird in her lap, a little token to represent Jackie. Those times were simpler. When they were kids, didn’t have to worry about deadlines or satisfying stuck up royals, just ran through the gardens playing with Olivia’s little magic creatures she created, or taking spare scraps of fabrics and making clothes for the girls dolls. Arizona smiled sadly. His eyes pricked with tears, and he brushed them away before Cozhlin sitting across the room could notice. Cozhlin glanced over, his mouth full of pins and fingers swiftly stitching a hem on a gown. “U good?” He mumbled around the pins, worry creasing his brow. 

“I’m fine. Just missing Jackie.” Cozhlin nodded sympathetically, returning to the light blue silk. Arizona sighed, pinning the picture back on the wall over his bed. “I wish you could’ve been there.” He whispered to himself, looking at the picture. “You could have helped me with everything.” tears trickled down his cheeks, and he wiped them away quickly, smearing his makeup a bit. “Dang it.” He crossed the room to the vanity, dabbing at his eyeliner. Cozhlin spat out his pins, tossing the dress on the bed. 

“Done! Finally!”

“And just in time too,” Ladin popped her head through the door. “Because Olivia and i need help decorating the main pavilion. Come on.” Arizona rubbed at one last bit of stray eyeliner, then followed Cozhlin and Ladin into the hallway and up the stairs to the main floor, which was bustling with visiting royals handmaidens and kitchen servants. Ari dodged a girl with a basket piled high with laundry, then quickly slipped around a tall man with an important looking uniform, finally bursting into the gardens, threading through the bushes to the largest pavilion sitting on the rolling hills behind the castle. The other three smaller pavilions were already strung with lights, flowers, and flags flapping in the gentle june breeze. Ladin spread her wings in the setting suns gaze, her feathers glittering gold. Cozhlin slid on his sunglasses, squinting in the sun. 

“It’s too bright in my opinion.” He muttered, running his fingers through his hair. 

“Well the sun will be setting soon, you moody vampire.” Ladin said, relishing the breeze. Arizona rubbed his arms, feeling like someone was watching him. 

“I am not a vampire!” Cozhlin huffed. 

“You have sharp teeth, hate vegetables, and don’t like the sun.” Ladin said, counting out on her fingers. Cozhlin rolled his eyes. 

“I like vegetables.”

“You have your meat practically raw.” 

“So?” Arizona tuned out their bickering, tucking his hands in his pockets as he scanned the gardens. Something felt off, but he couldn’t place his finger on it. He glanced down, noticing something on the ground. He picked it up, staring at the pitch black feather in his hands. It was carved from obsidian, veined with lighter streaks, carved so delicately that it looked real. Arizona mulled over this until the toe of his boot hit the edge of the pavilion, sending him tumbling forward. 

“ACK!” He cried out, catching himself before his nose hit the ground, the feather scattering off across the marble. 

“ARIZONA!” Ladin screeched, racing to his side. “Are you okay?” She said, pulling him to his feet, brushing him off. Olivia rushed over too, dropping her box of streamers. 

“I-I’m fine. Just not looking where i’m going.” Arizona shook them off, assuring them he was fine. Cozhlin bit his lip, watching Arizona for a moment. Ladin pulled Arizona to the side, not noticing he was looking for the Obsidian feather. 

“Are you sure-”

“Ladin! I’m fine.”

“Good, because i need your help. I mighhht’ve done something maybe i shouldn’t have, but i don’t know that, so i thought, let’s ask you! You know Cozhlin well, right?” Arizona nodded. 

“Uh, sure. What did you do?”

“I-Uh-well-” Ladin fiddled with her aviator goggles hooked on her belt, glancing over at Cozhlin again and again.

“What.”

“I sorta set up Cozhlin’s date again. I got us a little surprise, new suits and dresses, and some other servants to cover for us. And with Searow’s help, scored tickets. Do you think i took it too far? He-he just needs at least one night to be happy.” 

“Ladin!” Arizona grabbed her arms. “That is-amazing! You are the best!” Ladin smiled. 

“Oh my gosh i’m so glad. I thought he’d be ticked off.” 

“Well, you still have to tell him.” Arizona gestured at Cozhlin, who was lazily draping streamers over a side barrier, trying to look busy. Ladin hesitated, then shoved Arizona in his direction.

“Ehhhhh. How about you do it? Pleaseee? Cozzy scares me.” Ladin pleaded, already bustling off to adjust a flag. Arizona sighed, grabbing a box of streamers and heading off to Cozzy’s side. “Heyyy Cozhlin. How are you?” Cozzy rolled his eyes.

“What do you want? Did Ladin make you come over here?” 

“Yeah. So, don’t get mad, but i’m not sure why you would be mad, it’s actually pretty great-” 

“Spit it out please.” 

“Ladin got you your date with Keo back, and it’s tonight at the Pride Ball.” Arizona said, waiting for his reaction. Cozzy’s face lit up. 

“Seriously?! That’s awesome! Why would i be mad about that?!” He cried, grabbing Arizona by the shoulders and shaking him. 

“W-well, you do seem to get a certain way about everything.” Arizona sputtered, staring off over his shoulder into space. He blinked, catching someone moving through the bushes, but it disappeared too quickly for him to see who it was. Cozhlin was practically sparkling, rambling on to himself with excitement. Arizona smiled, slowly walking off, tossing streamers over the railing as he went. He hummed a little tune, raking his fingers through the box of streamers, adjusting his grip on it, popping his hip out to hold it properly as he adjusted a few flowers in a vase on the refreshment table. Honestly, he loved to relax like this. Tasks that required less worry and more, creativity. He took a deep breath of the marigolds, swiping the few fallen petals off of the table and into the grass outside the pavilion. A single, haunting note of a sharp whistle blew to his ears, and he stopped, head cocked to one side, braid swaying in the breeze. He waited for another note, and was blessed with one. He stood like that for a while, before returning to his work.